Branding, Marketing, Strategy
The definition of the term “brand” or “branding” has been debated on for many years. What began as a company name, slogan, and logo has become a complex marketing strategy that defines who you are and what your company represents. Good branding increases the overall value of a company, provides direction, and makes working with other businesses easier. So, what’s stopping you?
IDENTIFYING A BRAND
Deciding on the direction of your brand can be intimidating and very time consuming. It is easy to get stuck on a specific idea for your brand that might not be the best option. This is when it’s beneficial to step back and look at your company from a consumer’s standpoint. Consumers decide whether your brand is worth remembering, so their opinion is key in the development process.
- Identify your positioning.
- Establish company values.
- Determine target audience.
- Where do all of these develop? That is your brand.
CREATING A BRAND BOARD
Putting together a brand board for your company is arguably one of the best ways to develop a visual brand. Brand boards allow you to lay out all aspects of your company so that they are accessible to your employees. They also serve as a reference point when working with other companies, ultimately ensuring consistency and error-free work. Sometimes when something is laid out, it is easier to see elements that don’t belong, or cause friction instead of harmony.
When designing a basic brand board, we are always sure to include:
- Logos & Tagline – Including all renditions and how to properly apply them.
- Colors & Elements – Including Pantone colors if applicable, and any design elements like patterns, textures, or other visual motifs.
- Fonts – Including body, title, and accent text.
- Photography – Including photos that are regularly used, providing a few examples of the style and mood to help with maintaining consistency.
IF YOU’VE GOT IT, FLAUNT IT
Once you’ve developed a brand, it is important to get people talking about it. People love to tell their friends about the brands they like, but they can’t tell someone about a brand they can’t remember. That said, do you ever wonder how companies show up out of the blue and suddenly become the only thing anyone can talk about? Well, besides being in the right place at the right time, there is a strategy behind this mysterious phenomenon:
- Create an awesome website
- Have a strong social media presence
- Be unique
- Build relationships with your customers
- Know your brand and stay committed to it
REMEMBER
A strong brand is crucial to generating referrals and creating viral traffic, but proper decision making is critical in its success. We all know of a company that offers great products or provides excellent services, but has a tarnished brand due to poor decision making. Don’t be one of those companies. Take the time to identify a brand and maximize its potential.
Branding, Marketing, Social, Strategy
Looking back on what people thought 2017 might look like 100 years ago, most people probably imagined flying cars or teleportation. I think it’s safe to say that didn’t happen. Instead, we reinvented something even more amazing: rompers for men.
Yes. You read that right.
For those of you who have never heard the word “romper” before, a romper is a one-piece garment that looks similar to a dress but has shorts below the waste instead of a skirt. They are as convenient as they are fashionable, a true American treasure.
The newest clothing line called RompHim, by ACED Design, was launched last week as a Kickstarter campaign. The four male founders set a goal of raising $10,000. Clearly, they underestimated the demand for chic male onesies, because they surpassed their goal by over $355,000. Not too bad for still having 21 days left in the campaign. Bravo, gentlemen.
Been there, done that.
The Kickstarter pledging process is simple, but unique. Unlike the old school, magazine-ordered bodysuits, RompHim customers can choose their price. Starting at $5 and capping off at $1,250, the company offers anything from online updates, to the opportunity to hand select your own RompHim fabric. Your $1,250 pledge also buys you a night on the town with the ACED Design team, making your evening as unique as the onesie you rode in wearing.
Tweet about it.
Twitter seems to be the social media platform of choice for both praise and disapproval, resulting in several millions of #RompHim tweets. Whether people see it as a fashion statement or a frat-inspired gag gift, it doesn’t matter. Either way, the tweets and memes are considered “the best thing on Twitter”, and I have to agree.
Two thumbs up!
So where does that leave me? Besides paying $1,250 to go on a bro-date with the founders, I think RompHims are fantastic. Anything that can make me laugh out loud and still look that good has my vote. Also, I’m quite pleased that men will finally understand the struggle of having to completely undress to use the restroom.
As for the next 100 years, I can only hope that men will still be coming up with ways to masculinize products that were originally designed for women. That said, I’m all for gender equality, but some things are better off unaltered. They can have their Mandles, Brogurt, and RompHims, but I’d like to keep my high heels and over-priced handbags.
Communication, Marketing, Public Relations, Social, Strategy
The age of posting excessive pictures of your fancy drinks and fun foods on social media has arrived. Since the dawn of social media, people have captured photos and posted them online for the world to see. But now, everywhere you turn someone is seeking the perfect lighting for a picture of the newest vegan soup, or for the case of this discussion, the newest Starbucks drink.
But I love Starbucks…
There is no denying that Starbucks is dominating the Café industry, but have they gone too far? The new Unicorn Frappuccino went from an internet sensation to a controversial lawsuit in a matter of weeks. The globally desired drink hit the shelves on April 19 and was said to be a limited time offer. Limited time offer…brilliant. Not only did they develop a drink that was social media gold, they scheduled it so that everyone would have to try it before it was too late. Even the customers who were unable to get their hands on one turned to social media. Only this time to vent their frustration. I guess it’s true what they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity!
PR specialists explain that the Unicorn Frappuccino was inspired by unicorn-themed food and drinks trending on social media, unicorn emojis, and the unicorn filter on Snapchat. Brooklyn café, The End, had a different opinion, saying that Starbucks ripped-off their already established drink called the Unicorn Latte. The End began selling the Unicorn Latte in December of 2016, and has had a pending trademark for the drink name since January of 2017. That said, The End isn’t the only small business with a unicorn-inspired drink on their menu. This mythical creature is truly taking the social media world by storm #magic.
The interesting thing about these trends is that companies often leave the marketing up to the consumers. Why dump millions of dollars on social media campaigns when your customers will go online and do it for you? Aside from the initial announcement of the new product, companies get to sit back and watch as we upload endless posts, making their product a desirable fixation.
Take away the sparkles and what are you left with?
As a millennial, I too have developed a love for social media. I’ll even share the occasional photo of decadent cocktails or colorful cuisine that I come across. The one thing I don’t understand is the obsession over these trends, especially when people don’t actually enjoy the product. Most folks who purchased the Unicorn Frappuccino said they didn’t like the taste, claiming it tasted like sour milk.
There’s nothing magical about sour milk. I don’t care how sparkly or mystical it looks, if it tastes like dairy-gone-bad we should be tagging it the #DirtyDonkeyFrappe.
Communication, Marketing, Strategy
Most people can agree that reading statistics and data-dense content can be very boring. Without any visual appeal, the average person will most likely forget the data they’ve read shortly after reading it. The good news is that there is an effective alternative to presenting data that aids in understanding and retaining the information provided: infographics.
An infographic is a popular form of content marketing that can help you simplify a complex topic. Ideally, an infographic should be visually attractive and contain subject matter and data that is interesting to your target audience. Doesn’t that sound more enticing than reading textual statistics and endless data? We thought so too.
Infographics show your products without actually telling people about them. That, in turn, allows viewers to make their own decisions about your product. Visuals allow your brain to make connections more easily: information is expressed quickly and concisely which breaks through the clutter of other content.
So how do infographics actually help your company’s marketing strategy? Quite simply, creating infographics allows for your target audience to become more involved in your data and ultimately increase your brand awareness. When it comes time to design your visual keep the following tips in mind:
1. ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND EFFICACY
- Don’t repeat things—this just adds to the clutter
2. NARROW YOUR NARRATIVE
- Make sense of the data by telling a story
- With complex topics, it makes sense to paint with broad strokes first and then narrow down to the nitty gritty details
3. CHOOSE A VISUAL APPROACH
- Literal representation of data (charts, graphs, typography)
- Metaphorical representation of data (illustrations)
- Hybrid of both literal and metaphorical representations
- Use what is consistent with your brand!
Content marketing is a major source of social sharing, and is considered one of the most cost effective ways of generating multipart website growth. With your visual content being as attractive as it is informational, your content marketing strategy will improve, increasing online traffic and overall consumer involvement.
Marketing, Strategy
Social media has become one of the most effective outlets for marketing your brand. It can help expand your business in ways you might not have considered before. Increased brand recognition, brand loyalty, and overall customer service are the top reasons why companies are choosing to market through social media. But like anything, getting started without any prior knowledge on the subject can be very difficult. It is essential to understand the ins and outs of each of the social media platforms you wish to pursue because not every platform is appropriate for every business.
6 Social Media Platforms to Expand your Business
LinkedIn: The “Networker”
LinkedIn is known for its business-to-business feel; for its professional atmosphere. With the capability to post job openings, build relationships, and market your business all at the same time, LinkedIn is the ultimate networking outlet. Essentially, if you’re a company looking to increase your online presence and stay connected in the business world, LinkedIn should be your first stop.
Click here to learn how to get started with LinkedIn.
Facebook: The “Jack of All Trades”
Facebook is one of the most resourceful and diverse social media platforms that a business can use. From a simple status update, to online marketing certifications, Facebook has proved to be a fantastic channel to market your business. It is also very useful for posting ads that match the content previously searched by your customers, eventually increasing total brand awareness. The versatility that Facebook offers allows for companies of all areas to capitalize on the use of a page for their business.
Click here to learn how to get started with Facebook.
Twitter: The “Short and Sweet”.
With only 140 characters per tweet, you can keep your message to the point. With the ability to post videos, pictures, polls, links, and more, you can efficiently interact with all segments of your target market. Aside from its multiple sharing options, Twitter serves as a great platform for customer service and spreading your word. By adding hashtags to your tweets, individuals and businesses from all over the world can instantly see and share your post. Organizations who are looking for quick feedback, interaction, and overall reaction time should look into creating a Twitter page.
Click here to learn how to get started with Twitter.
Instagram: The “Visual”
Instagram is a platform that not every business considers pursuing, but should. With its strict use of picture and video, Instagram makes for a great visual outlet for your brand. Much like Twitter, the use of hashtags is very important—but unlike Twitter, you have up to 2,200 characters for each post. Consumers are becoming more and more visually attracted to content so it might be more effective to show how your business operates rather than writing about it. Instagram was born to be a mobile app, therefore businesses that are considering a more mobile-friendly marketing strategy should get onboard.
Click here to learn how to get started with Instagram.
Pinterest: The “Do it Yourself”
Pinterest is a visually-based platform known for its digital bulletin boards. If you’re looking to adapt a hands-on feel for your online audience, Pinterest is the way to go. With the ability to see what your customers are pinning, you can become more familiarized with their interests, and react accordingly. Pinterest is also an excellent outlet for showcasing products and expressing your area of expertise. When your content reaches your target market, Pinterest helps it to spread—ultimately reaching potential customers who might not have been exposed to your brand otherwise.
Click here to learn how to get started with Pinterest.
Snapchat: The “Up and Comer”
Made popular by millennials, Snapchat has become one of the most commonly used social media apps worldwide. Your brand or product can be marketed through live events, and behind-the-scenes content, giving your followers the inside scoop on how your business functions. You can also create a Snap Ad, build an amusing Sponsored Geofilter, or provide your potential customers an opportunity to interact with a Sponsored Lens. Unless your business runs solely on crunching numbers, Snapchat is a great platform to take for a test run.
Click here to learn how to get started with Snapchat.
